Tool for making hollow rims for bicycle-wheels



(No Model.)

G. T. WARWICK.

TOOL FOR MAKING HOLLOW RIMS FOE BICYCLE WHEELS.

No. 328,987. PatntedOQt. 27, 1885. 1; I

v WITNESSES:

4 INVENTOR ATTORN EY NESTED STATES rrrcn.

PATENT GEORGE THO. WARWICK, OF SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 328,987, dated October 27, 1885.

Application filed August 3, L 85. Serial No. 173,320. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE T. WVARWIOK, a citizen of England, residing at Springfield, in the county of Hampden and State of Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Tools for Making Hollow Rims for Bicycle and other \Vheels, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in tools for making lap-seam metallic wheel-rims for bicycles and similar vehicles, the object being to provide improved means for drawing said wheel-rims, and for accurately guiding the overlapping edge of the metallic strip from which the rim is made,whereby a lap-seam is formed, in which the two edges extend substantially an equal distance each side of the center of the rim, thereby insuring a proper connection of the spokes of the wheel with both of the lapping edges.

In the drawings forming part of this specification, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a portion of the top of a drawing-bench, showing'thereon a die-block having a die therein for forming wheel-rims constructed according to my invention. Fig. 2 is a front end elevation showing a section of the mandrel, and Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section of said die. Fig. 4 is a perspective rear view showing one side of the die cut away, and in dotted lilies the end of a partially-formed rim. Fig. 5 is a plan View of the end of a partially-formed tube as arranged to enter the die, and a section of said tube on the line a z of said figure. Fig. 6 is a transverse section of the finished rim. Fig. 7 is an end elevation of the second drawing-die.

In the drawings, A indicates the top of a drawing-bench having thereon the posts B B, through which pass the usual double bars, D, against which the die-block c rests when the tube which is to form the rim is drawn through it, the tube being drawn in a direction from the rear of said block, the latter being preferably of iron, and having a socket therein to receive the forming-die e, the latter being made of any suitable metal. The die e is of a slightlytapering cylindrical form externally, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, and internally its chamber is of gradually-increasing diameter from its front to its rear end. The arrows in Figs. 3 and 4 I point toward the front end of the die and indicate the direction in which the rim-tube is drawn through it.

The form of the chamber in the die 6 at its front end, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, approxi mates that of the finished rim, as shown. in Fig. 6, said die being the primary one, and that which determines the proper relation of the lapped edges of the tube to each. other, the die f, Fig. 7, being the second die, through which the tube and mandrel are drawn. Said die f has a passage through it substantially of the form of that in die 6, but such as to-give the drawn tube a form more nearly approaching its finished shape, as shown in Fig.6. Dief is provided with the projection f, which, like projection 12 in die 6, enters the depression or groove in the side of the rim-tube; but the lip 0 of die 0 is omitted in (lief.

A projection, 12, is provided on the interior surface of the die 6, whose prominence decreases from the front toward the rear end, as shown in Fig. 4, whereby the depression in the side of the tube, which eventually constitutes the tire-groove 3, Fig. 6, is formed, as shown in Fig. 4, the dotted lines there showing the form in cross-section which die 6 imparts to the partiallyformed tube cl, Fig. 5, when the latter has been drawn through it.

The dotted line 00, Fig. 4, indicates the axial line through the center of the die 6, and in that figure is clearly shown the lip or edge-stop 0 on the inner surface of the die 6 which guides the overlapping edge a, Fig. 6, of the tube d when the latter is drawn through it.

In Figs. 1 and 2 the end and a portion of the edge of said lip o are shown, the latter extending rearwardly at an incline to the axial line 00 of the die, and at and near the exit end of die 6 the thickness of said lip is substan tially that of the metal forming the tube (Z, so that when the edge a is abutting against it, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 4, the inner overlapping edge easily slides over edgeaand finds its proper place inside of the latter.

In operatingthe die 6, with the open-sided tube 02, to begin the formation of the wheelrim, a metallic mandrel, 72,- a section of which is shown in Fig. 2, is placed in said tube to partially support the latter and to serve a sub sequent purpose, as below described, and the entering end of the tube is made pointed more or less, (which end is afterward cut oflj) as shown in Fig. 5, so as to facilitate its entry into the die, and the pointed end having been passed through the die it is seized by proper tongs, and the tube and mandrel are drawn together through the die, giving, as aforesaid, the form shown in dotted lines, Fig. 4, to the rim-tube.

The cross-section form'of the mandrel h, as shown in Fig. 2, approximates that of the interior of the rim, Fig. 6. In practice said partially-formed rim-tube of Fig. 4 and the mandrel h Within it are drawn through the die f. after having passed through die e,whereby a form nearerto that shown in Fig. 6 is given to said rim-tube than is shown in Fig. 4. The mandrel is then withdrawn, and the rim is bent to the requisite circular form, after having been once more drawn through a die to give it the fin shed shape shown in Fig. 6, and either before or after this last drawing the said lapped edges are either brazed or soldered one to the other to securely unite them.

From the above description it is seen that on entering the die 6 one edge of the opensided tubed is brought against the edge of the lip 0, sliding from a point on the latter near the rear end of die 6, and following its inclination to the front end of the die, where the rim-tube receives its maximum compression, the opposite edge meanwhile being drawn in and guided over the inside of the edge which moves along against the edge of lip 0, the latter thus determining and fixing the position of the outside lapped edge relative to the inside one, and the die f correcting anylack of proper form which the rim may have onleaving die 6.

What I claim as my invention is 1. A die for forming rims for bicycle and other Wheels having a tapering tubular-formed passage through it, and having on its inner surface the projection 12, and the guide-lip 0, extending from near one end of the die to the other in a line inclined to that of the axial line of said die, substantially as set forth.-

2. In tools for forming hollow rims for hi cycle and other wheels, the die 6, having the projection 22 and the lip 0 therein, the die f, having the projection f on its inner surface, and the mandrel It, said dies and mandrel actingjointly to give form to the rims, substantially as set forth.

' GEO. THO. WARWICK. WVitnesses:

H. A. OHAPIN,

W. F- RICE. 

